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Can God speak to me and how do I know it's God and not the devil?

Answer

Thank you for taking the time to submit your question regarding whether God can speak to you and if so how do you know it’s really God and not the devil.

On the first point of whether God can speak to you then the answer is: Yes. God is first and foremost a relational being who loves to communicate. It was through speaking that God created the universe and the whole Bible contains accounts of God speaking to individuals either directly or through others. His desire is for us to know Him and for us to have a daily, life long conversation with Him.

God speaks to us in a variety of ways:

Firstly God speaks to us through Jesus Christ who is the Word that reveals the Father to us. The Bible says; Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our Fathers by the prophets but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). So through Christ’s words and life God communicates to us what He is like and gives us the example life that we should follow.

Secondly God speaks to us through the Bible where of course we are able to read of the life of Christ. The Bible is referred to as the Word of God and God testifies of it: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). When we read the Bible humbly and prayerfully the Lord will speak to us through it. As we read we will have ‘light bulb’ moments in which we suddenly understand what previously we didn’t understand or we will feel encouraged, directed or convicted through what we read. This is God speaking to our heart and mind by His Spirit.

Thirdly God speaks to us through others. It is clear as you read the Bible that God has those whom He has chosen to be His messengers, His mouthpieces e.g. preachers and teachers, through whom He speaks and helps others to better understand who He is, His Son and His message. How do we know what they say is from God? Well, we must check it against Scripture, God’s revealed truth. If what we hear is not in line with the Bible we must reject it. However not everything in the Bible is easy to understand so if you have doubts it would be advisable to speak with Christians who might be able to help you.

Fourthly God can speak to you direct through the Holy Spirit. This can take many forms such as a strongly burdened heart, a constant nagging conscience or a sudden compulsion. How do we know if it is from God? Again we need to ask is what we feel led to do in the Bible or in line with biblical principles. Is it something that uplifts or promotes God and Christ rather than promoting yourself? If in doubt pray that God would in some way make it clear to you. Again seek the counsel and prayers of other godly Christians. The more you spend time with God and get to know Him the better equipped you will be to discern what the right thing to do is: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8).

In contrast, the devil is a liar who wants to cheat, kill and destroy. God will only lead us according to his word and this will lead to good things.

In summary God does speak to us and does so in a variety of ways. God’s Word the Bible is our primary means of discerning what is from God and what is not. I encourage you to read the bible more regularly so that you are able to know whether a word delivered matches the Word of God.

Here are some more Bible Verses for your further consideration:

John 1:1-18

Acts 17:10-11

Hebrews 4:16

I hope this answer helps you to find peace with God through Jesus Christ. If you want to know more about what Jesus has done for you please watch the video on the main part of our site: Watch the video

I encourage you to attend a local Bible believing church and speak to the leader about your question. If you want to find a local church, our Church Finder may help you: Find a Church

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*All Scripture references are taken From The English Standard Version of the Holy Bible unless stated otherwise

*If anything in this answer affects you directly, then please feel free to call our confidential prayer line in the UK on 0845 4567729, where trained Christian volunteers will take your call and pray both for you and with you. If you are outside of the UK then you may submit your request for prayer on line at www.ucb.co.uk/prayerline